Psalms 12

1 To the chief Musician upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

To the victorie on the eiyte, the song of Dauid. Lord, make thou me saaf, for the hooli failide; for treuthis ben maad litle fro the sones of men.

2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

Thei spaken veyn thingis, ech man to hys neiybore; thei han gileful lippis, thei spaken in herte and herte.

3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

The Lord destrie alle gileful lippis; and the greet spekynge tunge.

4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

Whiche seiden, We schulen magnyfie oure tunge, our lippis ben of vs; who is oure lord?

5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

For the wretchednesse of nedy men, and for the weilyng of pore men; now Y schal ryse vp, seith the Lord. I schal sette inhelt he; Y schal do tristili in hym.

6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

The spechis of the Lord ben chast spechis; siluer examynyd bi fier, preued fro erthe, purgid seuen fold.

7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Thou, Lord, schalt kepe vs; and thou `schalt kepe vs fro this generacioun with outen ende.

8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

Wickid men goen in cumpas; bi thin hiynesse thou hast multiplied the sones of men.